New web interface available (BETA)

[gardenweed]

Originally Posted by Terry

There is compose in html but you have to enable it in your account, or do you mean add a phone etc on the page that is not available.

Why does my HTML signature show as plain text?
I have HTML enabled.

[n5bb]

As described here, there are two Fastmail beta web interfaces (AJAX and classic HTML) and the normal HTML classic interface (which has been with us for several years). So when someone says "beta" it may refer to either of two completely different systems.

In the AJAX beta (not classic), you can compose HTML (rich text) messages in several ways:

• Use the Settings button at the top and in the Preferences tab at the left scroll down to the Writing section and choose Message Format: Rich Text. New messages will be composed by default in Rich Text (HTML) format.
• If you have plain text default compose mode set in your preferences, then in the Compose screen click the Make Rich Text button at the upper right side of the message compose area.
• If you reply to a message, the reply mode may be forced to the same mode (plain text or rich text) as the original by another preferences selection immediately after the Message Format choice describe above.

When you are in the beta AJAX Compose screen in rich text (HTML) mode, you will see a row of formatting buttons above the compose area. The insert picture button is a square frame containing a tiny image, and it is immediately to the right of the paint bucket button and to the left of the link icon. You can insert an inline photo into your message at the insertion point using this button.

You can paste an image into the Compose area in the beta classic HTML interface and it will be sent inline. I don't think this works correctly yet on the beta AJAX interface.

The HTML signatures work fine using the beta classic HTML interface, but the beta AJAX interface seems to only use the text version at this time.

Bill

[sflorack]

Originally Posted by groanerton

sflorack, have you actually used the beta?

Why are you always so angry? And wrong?

[brong]

Originally Posted by sflorack

I'm seeing a similar issue (it may be related). After composing a single email in a desktop client and viewing the beta interface, I have 4 unread conversations -- presumably autosave drafts..? When clicking on the draft folder, four entries show up, but are in perpetual "loading" mode. (The normal interface doesn't show any messages.)

Clicking off the folder (i.e. returning to the inbox) and then back to Drafts clears the issue; the folder reports empty.

This sounds like a legitimate bug. Can you reproduce it? Exact steps and client name would possibly help us recreate the issue.

I'll try it myself anyway and see if I can make it happen.

Thanks,

Bron.

[sflorack]

Bron,

Here are the steps to recreate the bug:

1) Open Postbox
2) Begin composing an email
3) Wait for it to be autosaved
4) Send email (but I don't think that's required)
5) Load the FM beta interface
6) One conversation in DRAFT folder is marked as unread
7) Click the DRAFT folder
8) Email perpetually says "Loading..". Clicking the refresh arrows still show one message with "Loading.."
9) Click the inbox
10) Return to the draft folder; folder now reports as empty

[brong]

Awesome - I'll try to recreate that tonight after the kids are in bed. Hopefully Thunderbird will create the same behaviour.

I assume you're talking about this client:

http://www.postbox-inc.com/

[sflorack]

Yes, sir.

FWIW, I tried the same thing with another email client -- TheBat!. After composing an email, the draft counter displays 1, but there isn't a perputual "Loading.." shown; the message appears.

However, TheBat doesn't seem to have auto-saving for drafts. So to get the message to appear in the FM Drafts folder, I have to manually save it.

[groanerton]

Originally Posted by n5bb

As described here, there are two Fastmail beta web interfaces (AJAX and classic HTML) and the normal HTML classic interface (which has been with us for several years). So when someone says "beta" it may refer to either of two completely different systems.

In the AJAX beta (not classic), you can compose HTML (rich text) messages in several ways:

• Use the Settings button at the top and in the Preferences tab at the left scroll down to the Writing section and choose Message Format: Rich Text. New messages will be composed by default in Rich Text (HTML) format.
• If you have plain text default compose mode set in your preferences, then in the Compose screen click the Make Rich Text button at the upper right side of the message compose area.
• If you reply to a message, the reply mode may be forced to the same mode (plain text or rich text) as the original by another preferences selection immediately after the Message Format choice describe above.

When you are in the beta AJAX Compose screen in rich text (HTML) mode, you will see a row of formatting buttons above the compose area. The insert picture button is a square frame containing a tiny image, and it is immediately to the right of the paint bucket button and to the left of the link icon. You can insert an inline photo into your message at the insertion point using this button.

You can paste an image into the Compose area in the beta classic HTML interface and it will be sent inline. I don't think this works correctly yet on the beta AJAX interface.

The HTML signatures work fine using the beta classic HTML interface, but the beta AJAX interface seems to only use the text version at this time.

Bill

In AJAX beta, I cannot paste any HTML outside of the small button bar you described above, not pictures, etc. Essentially, I want to "edit source" - is that so tough?

[groanerton]

Originally Posted by sflorack

Why are you always so angry? And wrong?

Why are you so easily dismissive of serious problems and bugs in a service that we pay premium prices for? See the other "Search" thread for example.

I understand it when faceb00k or some other crappy, "you-are-the-product" company has limitations on software or prevents from doing basic things. But when FM does it, and continues to do it, I get angry.

Furthermore, speaking as somebody who does development for a living - I am insanely disappointed (and yes, angry) at the lack of transparency regarding bug reporting and bug fixing, and the continuous opacity of communication about features, usability, support response time, etc (check this thread and others on this board).

If I were to push a product like this, I would be instantly fired. Instead, here I am told by you and others - who perhaps I have rashly accused of being "apologists", and maybe that was over the line - to continuously wait, do work-arounds, etc. This too is simply mindboggling for a paid service that was also bought buy a company (eg not run out of a basement somewhere).

So there you have it, sflorack.

[sflorack]

Originally Posted by groanerton

Why are you so easily dismissive of serious problems and bugs in a service that we pay premium prices for? See the other "Search" thread for example.

I answered you in that thread last week. You were wanting to perform a search a certain way and complaining that FM couldn't do it. Yet you can.

Originally Posted by groanerton

Furthermore, speaking as somebody who does development for a living - I am insanely disappointed (and yes, angry) at the lack of transparency regarding bug reporting and bug fixing, and the continuous opacity of communication about features, usability, support response time, etc (check this thread and others on this board).

Okay. What does that have to do with me? I don't work for Fastmail. This is something I also explained in the other thread where you attacked my opinion.

Originally Posted by groanerton

If I were to push a product like this, I would be instantly fired. Instead, here I am told by you and others - who perhaps I have rashly accused of being "apologists", and maybe that was over the line - to continuously wait, do work-arounds, etc.

This is a user forum. It's where users can get help with Fastmail (or other services) from other users. Your aggressiveness (and IMHO rudeness) has no place here. No forum users outside of those marked as official representatives of FM can change FM services or justify their actions. You attack people who are trying to help you with "workarounds" because that's all we're able to do -- It's not about making excuses or being "apologists".

I've seen you make two complaints regarding what you thought couldn't be done in FM (searching and HTML emails). In both cases, you've been proven wrong (you CAN do what you're trying to do). Rather than thank people for offering advice, you attack and insult them. Man, I'd hate to see how you treat your enemies!

[sflorack]

Originally Posted by groanerton

In AJAX beta, I cannot paste any HTML outside of the small button bar you described above, not pictures, etc. Essentially, I want to "edit source" - is that so tough?

It's beta for a reason. If it worked right all the time, and had all the planned features, it wouldn't be in beta.

[thymara]

Originally Posted by groanerton

Furthermore, speaking as somebody who does development for a living - I am insanely disappointed (and yes, angry) at the lack of transparency regarding bug reporting and bug fixing, and the continuous opacity of communication about features, usability, support response time, etc (check this thread and others on this board).

I'm new to FM but in an adventurous moment decided to purchase a 2-year enhanced account. I like playing with beta products and since this is just a personal account I have no clients who, had I given them this beta for their business, would undoubtedly no longer be clients. I concur with what @groanerton is saying but eloquence is beyond my skillset so here goes

Observations:

• FM does not appear to have a release or version number but goes by "beta", "old" etc. I consider this highly unusual, in fact it's the first product I've seen that does this
• "beta" feed back seems to occur within threads that are not generic to the beta
• Other than switching to AJAX I haven't seen a list of features that the beta will provide
• there is a feedback button on the beta homepage. Is anyone using it? Is the feedback from everyone viewable? Are responses provided?
• In a recent post it was noted that inline images now work by using the picture button. Several weeks ago this was not the case and I spent time figuring out a workaround. Without any notice whatsoever the feature magically started working so I assume the beta software was updated. Is it too much to ask to provide somewhere a list of what changes are made when they are made? What other undocumented features, if any, exist waiting to be discovered?
• I notice there is a forum for feature requests and yet there don't appear to be any "beta" requests. Is everyone happy? At a minimum I would have expected to see something there about html.

A beta related forum, possibly available only to beta users who agree that beta is not production, where individual issues rather than a 300+ thread that no one will read from start to finish, is desirable IMO.

[Mystakill]

Originally Posted by thymara

• FM does not appear to have a release or version number but goes by "beta", "old" etc. I consider this highly unusual, in fact it's the first product I've seen that does this

The beta has been available to anyone willing to test, report on, and accede to its various foibles. It *used to* have a release number at the top of the page so that we could indicate which version, specifically, was at the root of a given issue. This appears to have been dropped.

There is no separate beta forum on EMD for users to congregate within, so message threads regarding the betas do intermingle with the rest.

[Quilleron]

Originally Posted by Mystakill

The beta has been available to anyone willing to test,

I object when software developers expect people who pay money for their service to test their new products for them. I've never had a motor manufacturer ask me whether I'd like to check out a new car they are about to launch!

If they want my opinion they should pay me to provide it - after all that's a part of my day job!

[Shelded]

I must agree with this because I have never felt like coding style sheets To fix the problems caused by the prior "enhancements"